Hand bag



HAND BAG Filed Dec. 15 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Qiiiiiaaaimaii 4- INVENTOR \fasf z/filan s BY?" 2 z ATTORNEY March 25, 1930. J LQWE 1,751,936

HAND BAG Filed Dec. 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1555 x, flflaws BY I I ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH N. LOWE, OF NEW YORK, N.- Y.

HAND BAG Application filed December 15, 1926. Serial No. 154,947.

This invention relates to a hand bag which is adapted to carry many kinds of articles, as for example, ladies hats, wearing apparel, toilet articles, etc.

6 Among the objects of the invention is to provide a hand bag constructed of suitable materials combined'and arranged in such way as to afford considerable strength and to preclude crushingof the contents of the 10 bag, while at the same time to provide quickly openable and closable means located in a convenient portion of the bag to enable the removal of the contents and the insertion of any desired article, and to provide a neatly finished bag when it is closed.

Another object of the invention isto provide a substantially drum-shaped hand bag,

(composed generally of flexible material),

provided with a handle at one side of the pcriphery of the bag, which handle ordinarily stands at the top when the bag is on display in a show window, the bag of flexible material being provided with special reinforcing means so that when it is stood on its periphcry for such display it will not get out of shape, or sag, or tip over.

Another object of the invention is to provi de a bag of the described type with an openable and closable disk side which, with the free edge of the peripheral band or body of the bag, provides amouth for the removal and insertion of an article, the said free edge being slightly overlapped by the disk side when the latter is closed, and held closed, due preferably to fastening means provided by mutually engageable' hookless fastenings which extend for a considerable portion of the periphery of the bag and the edge of the disk side, and the facility of opening and closing the hookless fastening means being assisted by reason of the reinforcement provided for the peripheral band.

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then, claimed with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which,

7 Figure 1 is a perspective View of'the improved hand bag in closed condition;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bag, showing it open;

Figure 3 is a diametrical section of the bag in the direction of the handle thereof;

Figure 4: is a transverse section of Figure 3, showing the construction of the main body of the bag;

Figure 5 is an illustrative diagram, partly in full and partly in dotted lines, showing how one vof the reinforcing rings or hooks may be applied in position;

Figure 6 is a similar view, showing how another of the reinforcing rings or hooks may be so applied;

Figure 7 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional detail, to make clearer the construction in the region of the mouth of the bag,

Figure 8 is an. enlarged, transverse section in detail, on the line 8-8, Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a transverse section to show in detail a step in fixing one of the stretching rings or hooks in position; and

' Figure 10 is a similar View showing the next step wherein said ring is secured.

The improved hand bag comprises a pcripheral band portion 11 and two sides 12, 13, these portions of the bag being composed preferably of a fine grade of black oil cloth or waterproof fabric sometimes called imitation patent leather. The band portion 11 is provided with a lining 14, and the preferably disk sides-12, 13 with linings 15, 16, which linings are preferably composed of a colored or figured woven fabric of attractive character. I

The free edge17 of the peripheral band or body portion is adapted to be overlapped to some extent at least by the edge portion of the adjacent disk side or side wall 13, in a manner such as described hereinafter. The circumferential edge of the rear flexible disk side or side Wall 12 is secured to the adjacent edge of the main body portion or peripheral band 11. by sewing, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, wherein it is seen that the edge of the band with its lining 14: and the edge of the disk side 12 with its lining 15 are folded or flanged inwardly at the corner edge of the bag and secured together by sewing. A folded strip 18, to form a sort of piping, enclosing a cord 19, is preferably interposed in the seam between the inturned edges of the disk side 12 and the band 11, to add to the'finished appearance of the bag. The raw inturned edges of the peripheral band 11 and its lining 14, the flexible disk 12 and its lining 15, and the folded strip 18 are overlapped by a binding 20 and secured thereto by the stitching which secures the inturned edges of the band and disk side 12 together.

The circumferential edge of the. front flexible disk side 13 is secured to the adjacent edge of the main body portion or peripheral band 11 below the mouth of the bag, in the manner generally shown in Figs. 3 and 7, in which it may be'seen that the edge of the disk side 13 with its lining 16 are folded inwardly, and while the adjacent edge of the peripheral band 11 and its lining 14 are also folded inwardly and secured by stitching, it will be understood that this is not specifically shown but it will be clearly understood from Fig. 7, which is a section through the mouth portion of the bag instead of through that portion of the bag where the peripheral band and the front disk side are sewed together. A folded strip 21 enclosing a cord 22 is interposed in the seam, as shown in Fig. 7, to afford a desirable finish to this portion of the bag in the nature of a piping. The raw inturned edges of these parts are overlapped and enclosed by a binding 23, which is secured to the inturned edges by the lines of stitches which secure them together.

, It is desirable in order. to keep the rear side or disk side 12 taut so that it will present a smooth surface, to employ a ring or hoop 24 composed preferably of spring metal and which constitutes a preferably closed loop member, and to insert it in the rear corner behind the joint formed by the edge of the disk side 12 and the adjacent edge of the main body portion or peripheral band 11,-

as shown in the lower part of Fig. 3. The two pieces of fabric of which the disk side 12 and the lining 15 are. composed, are made slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical body portion or'peripheral band 11, so that when the'ring or hoop 24 is in place the surplus material will be taken up in enclosing the said ring, with the result that when the ring is fully expanded into place and stretched upon the disk side 12 and its lining 15, the outside diameter of the disk side 12will be substantially the same as or only slightly greater than the outside diameter of the peripheral band 11.

Stretching means such as the ring or hoop 24 forming a loop member may be employed for holding the front disk side 13 taut, in a manner similar to the expansion ring qr hoop 24 which holds the rear disk side taut,

and such a ring would and could be used where the front disk side is pivoted to the body portion or peripheral band 11 by a short flexible or other connection, so that when the front disk side is turned outwardly the entire interior of the bag will be exposed. This is too obvious to require illustration.

The construction so far described in detail,

by the stitching 27 of the binder 23, before mentioned. The finishing strip is preferably composed of the same material as the peripheral band and the disk sides, and is hence flexible, so that with the tape 26 it may be turned over the free edge 17 of the peripheral band when the bag is closed. The flexible strip 25 is preferably narrow so as to protrude but aifelatively short distance beyond the piping 21, while the tape 26 is somewhat wider, for reasons that will become obvious. The turnover finishing strip 25 does not necessarily overlap the free edge 17 of the peripheral band, but the tape 26 does so to a slightextent. Preferably the strip 25 and the tape 26 are secured together by a line of stitching 28 so that they practically become one flexible strip member to overlap the free edge 17 of the peripheral band.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 7, it will be seen that a'finishing strip 29 is provided, which by a line of stitching 30 is secured adjacent one edge along the peripheral band 11, at acomparatively short distance away from the free edge 17 of the peripheral band. The finishing strip 29 is preferably of the same material as the peripheral band,.and it takes the curvature thereof in its secureinent thereto. Beyond the line of stitching 30, the finishing strip 29 provides a flaplike portion to which a preferably heavy fabric tape or flexible member 31 is secured by a line of stitching 32, so that the tape 31, which extends along the peripheral band, is located just back of the free edge portion 17 of said band.

The flexible tapes 26, 31, have their line of separation adjacent the free edge 17 of the peripheral band, and their adjacent edges are provided with hookless metal fastenings 33, 34, the fastenings 33 being carried by the tape 31 and the fastenings 34 by the tape 26, and they extend for a distance approximating that of the length of the mouth porthrough the medium of a slide 35 provided with a finger-pull piece 36, as shown in Fig. 1, in which figure the mouth of the bagis shown as closed through reason of the mutual engagement of the hookless fastenings 33, 34. By the location of the two series of hookless fastenings at the free edge'portion 17 of the peripheral band when the bag is closed, they are rendered very convenient of access and the bag'possesses considerable simplicity in View of such .arrangement.

1 A cardboard or fiberboard stiffening strip 37, preferably composed of two pieces, is inserted in known manner between the peripheral band 11 and its lining 14, and the overlapping ends of the two pieces, as shown in Fig. 4, are secured together by rivets 38 which are preferably located back of the mouth portion of the bag and which pass through the peripheral band 11 and its lining 14, said rivets being headed thereupon, whereby the stiffening means is rendered sufficiently stiff and reliable to impart sufficient stifiness to the peripheral band to prevent collapse thereof in normal conditions. The rivets 38 are arranged so that they together extend more or less along the diameter of the bag, but it is preferred to arrange a rivet 39 intermediate of the two rivets '38, 38 and located about half way around and at a slight distance back of the free edge 17 of the peripheral band, such rivet 39 also passing through the peripheral band 11, its lining 14, and the interlying stiffening strip 37, as shown in Fig. 7.

As shown more in detail in Fig. 8, the corresponding ends of the tapes 26, 31 are stitched to end finishing pieces 40 by lines of stitches 41, which with lines of stitches 42 through the finishing pieces 40 secure the said tapes and the finishing pieces 40 to the peripheral band 11. Preferably these finishing pieces 40 are, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, sewed over the ends of the finishing strip 29, at such points as to leave free flaps 43' at the ends of the finishing strip 29. These free flexible flaps 43 lie snugly upon the peripheral band and preferably extendover and hide the rivets 38. Referring to Fig. 7, it will be seen that the raw edge of the lining 14 and the edge of the peripheral band are turned inwardly and connected together by a seam 44 which is hidden adjacent the free edge 17 of the peripheral band.

A ring or hoop 45, preferably of spring metal and constituting a reinforcing loop member, is inserted between the lining 14 and the stiffening strip 37, it being similar to the ring orhoop 24 before described although its function is somewhat different. Said ring or hoop 45 is located in the region of the free edge 17 of the peripheral band 11. A similar ring or hoop 46 is located approximately mid-way of the widthof the peripheral band 11, and also between the lining l4 and the'stiffening strip 37. The ends of the spring is employed in connection with the ring or a hoop 24. These rings or hoops 45, 46 impart additional stiffness which is distributed throughout the entire bag, tending to further reinforce the bag against collapsing to any extent.

It will be observed that the stiffening or reinforcing, expansion loop member 45 is spaced away from the free edge of the peripheral band 11, which is at the mouth of the bag, for a substantial distance. This will provide a somewhat substantial and more yielding narrow portion to 'the bag in the region above or beyond the loop member 45 which is bordered by, the free edge of the peripheral band. This more yielding portion at the free edge of the peripheral band is provided for the purpose of permitting a freer and easier, and yet snug, fit of the flexible member 26 on the openable portion of the bag, and the described location of the loop member is for that reason preferred, instead of locating it directly behind the said free rings or hoops 45, 46. The preferred manner of insertingthem is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Each of said rings is passed through the slit 48 so as to go entirely around the bag between the peripheral band 11 and the lining 14. Then each ring or hoop, 45, 46, is adjusted and the ends connected by sleeve 47 so that each ring or hoop 45, 46 will have the desired compass or diameter, which should be sufficiently large that in moving the ring or hoop into ultimate position it will press upon the stiffening strip 37 and the peripheral band. Because of this preferred predetermined diameter of each ring or hoop 45,46, they are first placed in the positions shown in dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5, it will be seen that the ring or hoop 45, as shown in dotted lines,.extends slantingly across the bag, one portion there'- of as shown in section in full lines, being pressed into the corner between the lining 14 and the stiffeningstrip 37 which islocated adj acent the free edge 17 of the peripheral hand. Then said ring 45 is forcibly moved into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, so that it will occupy a position adjacent to and substantially parallel with the free edge. 17 of the peripheral band. This action tends to exert pressure on the stiffening strip 37 and the peripheral band, and strongly reinforces the bag at the region in which it is located.

After the ring or hoop 45 has been positioned as desired, the rivets 38, 39 are applied as before described, and these rivets will act as supports tending to hold the ring or hoop 45 in its final position. Next, the ring or hoop 46 is distended, in similar manner to ring 45, and its ends connected by its sleeve 47 so as to occupy the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, it being then swung from the dotted line position to the full line intermediate position, during which movement it will exert outward pressure on the stiffening strip 37 and the peripheral band 11. Preferably the ring or hoop 46'is supported inoits intermediate position by means of fastening clips or members 49, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. In Fig. 9, the fastening clips are shown as about tobe applied, while in Fig. 10 they are shown applied, in which condition they penetrate the lining 14 and are clenched about the ring or hoop 46.

In the seam, which is within the binding 23 at the disk side 13, is interposed'and secured one end of a flat handle strip 50, while in the corresponding seam at the opposite disk side 12 0f the bag is interposed and secured one end of a handle strip 51. The free ends of the handle strips 50 and 51 are provided with snap fastening means 52' for detachably securing them together so as to provide a handle by whichthe bag may be carried or suspended.

When it is desired to open the bag, the handle strips 50, 51 willbe freed from each other and then the slide 35 is operated so as to quick-* ly and almost instantaneously provide a full mouth opening between the main body of the bag and the front disk side 13. Then the cover portion of the disk side 13 may be turned outwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, to the desired extent, permitting access to the interior of the bag. A desirable feature of the present improvements resides in the fact that the mouth of the bag is almost directly at that corner of the bag between the peripheral band and the disk side 13; that is to say, the two series of hookless fastenings 33, 34 are located directly inthe region of such corner. This location of the two series of hookless fastenings provides, because of their preferred location, a bag with a very unobtrusive exterior, inasmuch as practically the whole of the peripheral band with its smooth exterior is exposed to view. Furthermore, by reason of the stiff back ground furnished by the stiffening strip 37 and the ring or hoop 45, which are just within the series of hookless fastenings 33, desirable supporting stiffness is imparted during the act of'almost instantaneously closing the bag by means of the slide 35. This is particularly desirable where hookless fastenings such as described are made use of. There is but a very slight giverlapof the finishing strip 25 and the tape-26 at the corner of the bag referred to, which is possible because of the location of the series of hookless fastenings 33 adjacent the free edge portion 17 of the peripheral band. It will be seen that a distinct advantage isgained in this connection where a handle such as described is used. The'handle portion 50 is located directly in the region of the slightly overlapping strip 25 and tape 26, and as the hookless fastenings completely and continuously close the bag throughout the length of its mouth, a substantially fixed and a reliable association of the handle portion 50 with the bag is provided, so "that when the parts of the handle are connected together after the mouth of the bag is closed, it will have a most' reliable and strong association with the bag,

and this is particularly desirable where the bag is composed'almost wholly of flexible material, as is preferred under the present invention.

In opening the bag the tab 43, shown in Fig. 1, furnishes a convenient and desirable finger hold so that one hand of a person may be used to grip said tab, while the other hand takes hold of the'finger piece 36 to disengage the hookless fastenings by one sweeping movement, if desired. In a similar manner the tab at the other side of the bag, corresponding with the one shown in Fig. 1, may be utilized in closing the mouth of the bag.

It is obvious that this invention is suscep- I tible of more or less modification without departing from the spirit thereof as defined in the appended claims. What I claim is;

1. A hand bag, comprising, a peripheral band composed of flexible material, stripform stiffening means reinforcing it from its inner surface, side walls secured to the edges of the eripheral band, and one of the side walls a apted to open to provide with the adjacent, free edge pf the peripheral band av mouth portion for the bag, the stiffening means extending substantially to the free edge, hookless fastening means secured to the openable side-wall and to the peripheral band for substantially the length of the mouth portion of the bag and overlapping the outside of the band when the bag is closed,'such means comprising a manually operable slide for causing the mutual engagement of the hookless fasteningsor the disengagement thereof, such hookless fastening means having a back in tio nof the band when the bag is closed;

2. A hand bag, comprising, a peripheral band, disk sides secured to the edges thereof,

and one of the disk sides being free of the pe-' ripheral band for a substantial length of its edge, whereby it is adapted to open to provide withthe'adj acent free edge of the peripheral band a mouth portion for the bag, a turn-over & finishing strip secured along the edge of the openable disk side, a tape associated lengthwise with said strip in offset relation theresupport upon the reinforced adjacent pori provide with the 'side wall closing the bag with to pass the free edge of the band when the bag is closed, a second finishing strip secured along the peripheral band at a'short distance from and substantially parallel with its free edge, another tape, secured to the second strip and extending for substantially the same distance as aforesaid tape, hookless fasteniugs carried by the two tapes for substantially the length of the mouth portion of the bag, and a manually operable slide for causing the mutual engagement of the hookless fastenings or the disengagement thereof. 3. A hand bag, comprising, aperipheral band, disk sides secured to the edges thereof, and one of the disk sides adapted toopen to adjacent free edge of the peripheral band amouth portion for the bag, a tape secured along the free edge of the openable disk side,the means for securing the tape comprisinga binding stitched to an inturned edge of the openable disk side and also stitched to the inner edge of said tape, another tape secured along the peripheral band at a slight distance from its said edge, hookless fastenings carried by the two tapes for substantially the length of the mouth portion of the bag, and a manually operable slide for causing the mutual engagement of the hookless fastenings or the disengagement thereof.

4. A. hand bag, comprising, a peripheral band having a lining, a rear side wall seamed entirely around its edge to the adjacent edge of the peripheral band, an expansion stiffening loop of spring metal between the peripheral band and its lining and exerting outward pressure on the band, and a front side wall closing the bag at the other edge of the peripheral band.

5. A hand bag, comprising, a peripheral band having a lining, a rear side wall seamed entirely around its edge to the adjacent edge of the peripheral band, an expansion stiffening ring of wire for exerting outward pressure on the band, means for fixing the position of the ring within the band, and a front at the other edge of the peripheral band.

6. A hand bag, comprisin a peripheral band having a hning, a rear disk side seamed entirely around its edge to the adjacent edge 9f the peripheral band, an expansion stiffen- 1ng ring of metal located in juxtaposition to the other edge of the peripheral band to press outwardly thereupon, and a front disk side closing the bag at the other edge of the peripheral band.

7. A hand bag, comprising, a peripheral band having a lining, a rear disk side seamed entirely around its edge to the adjacent edge of the peripheral band, a plurality of expansion stifl'ening rings of metal, and located partly at an intermediate portion of the ,width of the peripheral band and partly in j uxtapositionjco the other edge of the periphdirection as that eral band to press outwardly upon the band, and a front disk side closing the bag at said other edge of the peripheral band.

8. A hand bag, comprising a surrounding wall, opposite, substantially parallel, side walls secured to the same, one of the side walls adapted to open out to provide at the adjacent portion of the surrounding wall a mouth extending partly around the bag in the same in which the surrounding wall extends around the bag, the wall having a free edge at such mouth, a tape secured along the outer edge of the openable side wall and extending substantially parallel with the surrounding wall, said tape, when the bag is closed, extending beyond the free edge of the wall and overlapping the outer surface of the Wall adjacent to the free edge, another tape secured along the surrounding wall, both tapes defining the mouth'portion of the bag, hookless fastenings carried by-the two tapes for substantially the length thereof, such fastenings bearing upon the surrounding wall when the ha is closed, and manually operable means or causing the mutual engagement of the hookless fastenings or the disengagement thereof.

9. A hand bag, comprising a peripheral band, a rear side wall seamed around its edge to the adjacent edge of the band, strip-form band-stiffening means secured within the band and of slightly less width than the band, a metallic expansion loop of relatively small crosssection pressing outwardly on the stiffening means and band, and a front side wall for closing the bag at the other edge of the band, such loop being contiguous to such other edge.

10. A hand bag, comprising, a peripheral band, a rear side wall seamed around its edge to the adjacent edge of the peripheral, band, an openable front side wall for closing the bag at the other edge of the band and having an auxiliary portion to overlap the free edge of the band, an expansion stifl'ening loop, and means for holding the loop in position to bear outwardly on the band along a line contiguous to and below the free edge of the band, so as to leave a. narrow edge portion of the band projecting above the loop.

JOSEPH N. LOWE. 

